Signal-lantern



(No Model.) I

J. P. BATOHELOR.

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N. PETERS, FHUTO-L'THOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON! D. C

NITED STATES ATENT I FFICE.

SIGNAL-LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,522, dated July 2'7, 1880.

Application filed May 14, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. BATOHELOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal-Lanterns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in hand-lanterns such as are used by train-men and station-agents on railroads, the object of my invention being to provide means combined within an ordinary lantern whereby the latter may be convertible, when desired, into a signal-lantern, as hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a lantern embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the lantern as seen through the line 0000 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of the signal-glass and guide-wires. Fig. 4 is a plan or top view of the same.

The letter A designates the oil-fount, which is detachable through the base or bottom in the usual manner. B is theglobe, and O the wire frame or guard surrounding the globe.

The dome or top part, E, is made in any suitable manner, so as to be separable from the frame. It may, for instance, be hinged at one side, as shown at d.

Four wires, f, are each attached by one end to the inner side of the base part G, and extend vertically upward through the globe and into the dome, their upper ends being connected by a wire ring, h. Just above the base or the oil-fount the four wires pass through an annular plate, t, to which they are secured. A portion of this plate projects inward, and serves as a seat or base on which the straight chimney n rests. The portion of this plate which projects outward serves as a rest or base for the signal-glass L.

It will be seen that the guide-wires f serve in a twofold capacity-first, as a frame which surrounds and retains the straight chimney, and, second, as a guide on which the signalglass will slide up and down.

The signal-glass, as shown in Fig. 4, consists of a semi-cylindrical glass plate having on each side a small metallic plate, 19, provided with a lateral projecting eye, g, which slides on the guide-wire. A chain, 1", is attached to each small plate which has the eye, and said chains extend up through the top 8 of the dome above, and onthe outside of which the chains are connected in any suitable manner, and preferably are provided with a ring or equivalent device, t.

It will be seen that the signal-glass may be raised from the annular plate *5 up into the dome by drawing on the chains, and when so raised may be retained in the elevated position by engaging the ring t with the hook u,

wire frame.

A modification of the signal-glass consists l.

in making it in the form of a cylinder, which will entirely surround the four guide-wires and the chimney. The operation of raising or lowering it by means of the guidewires and chains in either case is the same. The semicylindrical form of signal-glass, however, has the advantage of permitting the use of two signals, each of a different color-as, for instance, a red glass may be employed on one side and to slide on two of the guide-wires, while a green or blue glass may in like manner be employed on the other side.

The bail or handle of the lantern is represented in Fig. 1 by the letter 12, and as broken off.

The chimney and the globe are both to be placed in position, should either be broken, by the removal of the dome part, the chimney being entered endwise through the ring h.

The advantages of an ordinary hand-lantern convertible at pleasure into a signal-lantern are so obvious as not to need enumeration here.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a lantern, the combination of guidewires secured to the lamp-base and extending vertically through the globe, and an annular plate secured to the wires just above base and wires secured to the lamp-base and extending projecting" inward to form a seat for the chimvertically through the globe, a chimney which ney, as set forth. is retained in position by the said wires, a seat I 5 2. The combination, as set forth, of guidefor the chimney independent of the oil-fount,

5 wires secured to the lamp-base and extending and a signal-glass adapted to slide up and vertically through the globe, achimney which down on the wires. is retained in position by the said wires, and In testimony whereof I aflix my signature a seat for the chimney independent of the oilin presence of two witnesses.

fount, whereby the oil-fount may be detached JOSEPH F. BATOHELOR. 10 through the base without disturbing the chim- Witnesses ney. CHAS. B. MANN,

3. The combination, as set forth, of guide- JNO. T. MADDOX. 

